The hosts made a bright start on this gorgeous afternoon, and were soon ahead via Lonit Talla, who fired low and beyond Jonny Henly after the Darts failed to clear the danger from their area (12).
Five minutes later saw George Whitefield get caught out following Hamlet’s high press and, as the ball eventually fell to the excellent Luke Wanadio, the hosts had doubled their advantage within five minutes following his neat strike (17).
Eddie Dsane tried to pull the visitors back into the game after 25 minutes as he looked to set up Callum Jones, but his pass was snuffed out by the Hamlet defence. George Whitefield then tried his best to find Dsane, but goalkeeper Toby Bull was alert enough to collect the ball (26).
Any hopes of Ady Pennock’s side getting back into proceedings were all but ended shortly after the break, when Ben Frempah inadvertently tangled with Danny Mills. The Dartford defender was harshly given his marching orders (when perhaps a yellow card would suffice), before Luke Wanadio punished the visitors further with the resulting free-kick (48).
With a mountain to climb and nothing meaningful created at the other end, Ady Pennock moved by swapping Eddie Dsane and Ikechi Eze with Dan Smith and Jeremiah Pinder respectively (52).
That would be followed by Gabe Campbell coming on for Callum Jones (69), Luther Williams replacing Sam Odaudu (75), before Denzelle Olopade left the field to be replaced by Samir Carruthers (77).
As we return to the action, we find skipper Michael Olarewaju force Toby Bull into a good save following Sam Smith’s long free-kick (62).
However, any slim hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when a swift pass released Wanadio, who raced clear to beat Jonny Henly and seal his hat-trick (66).
The Darts came agonisingly close to adding a consolation goal deep into stoppage time when George Whitefield’s inviting cross found Dan Smith inside the Dulwich box, but the latter’s header thumped the post and was subsequently cleared.
So a rather disappointing opening game for Dartford came to an end, but Michael Olarewaju and Co will be determined to bounce back on Tuesday when Billericay Town come to Kent.
DULWICH HAMLET: Toby Bull, Michael Chambers, Geofrey Okonkwo, Nyren Clunis (c), Danny Mills, Luke Wanadio, Alfie Payne, Thomas Chambers, Gaspar Mico, Sean Bonnett-Johnson, Lonit Talla.
SUBSTITUTES: Joseph Adewunmi, Giovanni Palmer, Jordan Wynter, Mannie Mensah, Sol Baugh.
DARTFORD: Jonny Henly, Sam Odaudu, Sam Smith, Michael Olarewaju (c), Ben Frempah, George Whitefield, Denzelle Olopade, Ikechi Eze, Olly Box, Callum Jones, Eddie Dsane.
SUBSTITUTES: Samir Carruthers, Dan Smith, Luther Williams, Gabe Campbell, Jeremiah Pinder.
Chris Palmer
